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Published: July 15th 2014
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University of Washington men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar, love him or hate him, or perhaps you have never even heard of him, has a great saying that applies directly to what we did this morning. He often says "Take off your cool jacket". When something needs to be done that you might not particularly want to do, or think you might look funny doing, take the cool jacket off and let yourself cut loose and have fun no matter what others might think.
When it was announced that the band concert was being replaced with a hip hop routine, and that everyone would be involved, there was a collective eye roll and groan the likes of which you have never before witnessed. Today was the first day of practice, and I am thrilled to say that I am very proud of our kids! For the vast majority, the cool jackets came off, and they tried their best! Those who have never danced before gained a new respect for the art, and those who had were in their element completely. It was great to see the effort put forth to learn the moves and the routine. Some of those who were
hesitant at first, ended up with the biggest smiles. We'll be back at it again soon, but well done kids!
Several Americans joined me for PE today. We showed German 5th and 6th graders how to throw and catch a football. Our kids did splendidly as they were patient, kind, and were really excited to show them the basics of the game. It was incredible to witness the improvement of the German kids by the end of the period! We even introduced them to the popular recess game "flyers up"! The boys especially picked up on that one quick, jostling for position, elbowing for room, and throwing the shoulder in order to clear space. Perhaps next time we'll have to explain "pass interference", though the smiles and laughter indicate that they sure enjoyed it! We'll be back for more football lessons later in the week.
The big trip of the day was to Hohenzollern Castle. It is an incredible structure perched on a prominent hill overlooking many surrounding villages. It was home for some time to the King of Prussia, and unlike many castles today, it is still owned by the family. The current prince is 38 and
lives primarily in Berlin, but visits his ancestral home often.
It was a short but steep hike up the wooded hill to the gates of the castle, but is was well worth the effort! The views were breathtaking, especially on such a beautiful day. Looking down on the many surrounding villages, it was easy to imagine this place as the ruler of its substantial domain centuries ago.
We perused the courtyards and enjoyed the view until our tour started. We were treated to a family history lesson in the entry way as the walls are covered with the family tree dating back to the year 1,000. We then donned our tour slippers and strolled into the main dining hall, complete with 8 candled bronze chandeliers weighing over 200 pounds each. Marble columns and floors, intricate woodwork and carvings, hundreds of original works of art, and at every turn, incredible views from the many windows accompanied us as we proceeded. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed. But for you, the faithful reader, I snuck a few when I could. The click of the DSLR shutter was like rolling thunder every time the button was depressed. I was certain that our
docent would confiscate my camera and I would be deported from Germany forever. So, quality may be lacking, but these are rebel photos for sure.
Also on the tour, to the boys delight, were medieval weapons and suits of armor worn by those who protected the castle in a bygone era. There were a multitude of incredible items of great historical significance. Especially those belonging to Frederick the Great. Also present on the tour were the kings crown, scepter, and the snuff box that saved his life. During the battle of Kunersdorf in 1759, which was part of the Seven Years War, Frederick the Great had two horses shot out from under him before finally taking a bullet to the chest. A devoted collector of ornate snuff boxes, he carried one with him at all times. The bullet lodged itself into the box, sparing one of the most influential monarchs of continental Europe his life.
After the tour, we spent more time perusing the castle grounds and taking in the magnificent views before departing.
It's not often that you can play mini golf in the shadow of a medieval castle. Today, we did just that. The kids,
though tired, had a blast on the 36 hole course that was reserved just for us. The weather was brilliant, and so was the company. It was a great way to finish off another busy day here in Germany.
Tomorrow, we get up early and leave the country. Strasbourg, France is our destination for the day. We'll get to ride the train for the first time while here. It promises to be a fun and memorable experience!
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